TALLAHASSEE — Legislators found a sure way to rile up a crowd Thursday: go after pit bulls.

The Florida Senate is advancing a controversial bill that could lead to tougher municipal laws on owners of pit bulls and other "dangerous" breeds, an idea that has prompted outraged dog lovers to e-mail and call their lawmakers in droves.

The legislation, approved by senators in the Community Affairs Committee on a 9-2 vote, would repeal Florida's 1990 ban on breed-specific dog regulations, as long as any new rules stop short of an outright ban. Cities and counties could require owners to muzzle certain breeds in public, carry insurance to pay for attacks or take ownership training.

"We are discriminating against the good owners and the good dogs," fumed Laura Bevan, director the Eastern Regional Office of the Humane Society of the United States.

The passionate, hourlong debate Thursday centered on pit bulls, which are actually a type of dog that covers three breeds, the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier and the Staffordshire bull terrier.

Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, began pushing the bill in 2008 when a constituent in the Lauderdale Manors neighborhood told him she carries a baseball bat on evening strolls, citing her fear of unleashed pit bulls. At first, Thurston couldn't even get a senator to sponsor the bill in that chamber. Thursday marked the first hearing on the issue.

Examples abound of violent pit bulls in Broward and Palm Beach counties, which seem to be hot spots for attacks. In November, a pit bull and a Labrador mix ripped apart and killed a 5-week-old kitten in Oakland Park. Last May, two pill bulls attacked a woman in Fort Lauderdale's Victoria Park neighborhood and killed her dog, a silky terrier. And in June, a pit bull attacked and bit a 6-year-old girl riding a pink bike in front of her home. In several cases, police have shot charging pit bulls.

Miami-Dade is the only county in the state to have a ban on pit bulls. The county imposed that rule in 1989; it was grandfathered in before Florida adopted the ban on breed regulations.

While counties and cities wouldn't be able to copy Miami-Dade's ban, supporters said they should have the option to create local dog rules to keep their communities safe.

"There's a fundamental difference in the types of breeds and the way they behave," said Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne. "I don't think we should outlaw specific breeds, but it doesn't make any sense to force our local governments to treat Chihuahuas the same as a pit bull."

Dozens of dog lovers at Thursday's committee hearing strongly disagreed. They said the owners, not the breed, are to blame in attacks. And given the reproductive mixing among dog breeds, they noted it would be difficult in many cases to determine what qualifies as a pit bull.

Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, one of two "no" votes on the pit bull bill, said he's gotten "more calls on this issue than any other issue this session." Every caller was a dog owner raising objections, he noted.

Ernie Sims, one of a dozen or so to speak at the hearing, said he's had a gentle pit bull, Roxy, for seven years.

"It's all about being a good pet owner," said, Sims, of Tallahassee, adding that his three-legged Jack Russell terrier, Snoopy, is the bigger troublemaker.

Other pet owners repeated a similar mantra. As Melissa Salashia put it: "There can be a beagle that bites. A dog is not born to bite."

But supporters noted that there's a big difference between getting bitten by a beagle and a brawny, 85-pound pit bull.

Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, used her mom's fluffy Maltese, Sugar, as an example. "If Sugar bit my hand, it was a bummer, but I could just go wash my hand," she said. "A pit bull will bite into its victims and not let go."

The pit bull bill has a way to go before it could become law during the 60-day session, which started Tuesday and ends April 30. It still has two more committee stops in the Senate before a potential floor vote. In the House, the bill hasn't yet had a hearing.

Yet the 9-2 vote, Thurston said, "was a good sign. As we hear more and more instances of people and their pets being attacked, I think it goes without saying we need to give local communities an opportunity to act."